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Month / August 2004

I’m sorry it’s been so long, and all I’m providing is a song, but I promise I’ll write more later… promise.

This a good song because it really is many of things I want in someone… and the bridge is something of a mantra for me now… I’m just going to enjoy life as it as, and look forward to the future.

Do you derive joy when someone else succeeds?
Do you not play dirty when engaged in competition?
Do you have a big intellectual capacity but know
That it alone does not equate wisdom?
Do you see everything as an illusion?
But enjoy it even though you are not of it?
Are you both masculine and feminine? politically aware?
And don’t believe in capital punishment?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover
Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer

Do you derive joy from diving in and seeing that
Loving someone can actually feel like freedom? are you funny?
la self-deprecating? like adventure? and have many formed opinions?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover
Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer
I figure I can describe it since I have a choice in the matter
These are 21 things I choose to choose in a lover

I’m in no hurry I could wait forever
I’m in no rush cuz I like being solo
There are no worries and certainly no pressure in the meantime
I’ll live like there’s no tomorrow

Are you uninhibited in bed? more than three times a week?
Up for being experimental? are you athletic?
Are you thriving in a job that helps your brother? are you not addicted?
…curious and communicative…

I’ve decided to keep a running log of what’s going on in Maine this year. I haven’t done that for the last few years I’ve gone, but considering this may be the last time with my grandparents and my brother, I figure I should for posterity’s sake. Also, for those of you who read my journal on a regular basis, this is atypical because there’s a lot more minutia, which I typically don’t like to do.

Rain. 58F. It’s almost 9:30, and since we started driving an hour and a half ago, it’s been nothing but rain. We just passed the “Welcome to PA” sign on I-90 on our way to Erie to Buffalo to Syracuse to Watertown. In hindsight, we probably could go a little further today, but I think we’re going to try to take the trip back in 2 days because there’s a classical concert that it’s one of the churches. Ryan and I went last year and really enjoyed ourselves.

I’m trying to work on the mission statement and later executive summary for my Business Plan. There are two things I’ve set to accomplish this year while on vacation, and that’s to do this executive summary and to get Bible Studies done for the Buffaloes up until about November. If I can go further, great. So far I’m planning on doing a study on the application of the fruits of the spirit, and then working on the heart of Jesus and who he is as a man. It should be meaningful for both me and the rest of the guys.

10:11 – In New York. Still raining. Doesn’t look as though there’s any end in sight. On the I-90 turnpike too. So it’ll be quick driving. I really could afford to use the bathroom. And the grapes look nice. Mission statment is about done… the first time. It’ll probably be done for good in March when we have to turn it in.

1:22 – Half way between Buffalo and Syracuse and it’s just cloudy. Speaking of Buffalo, why is it “An All America Town”? Not All American? Someone from there full me in. Mission statement done. Now on to executive statement. Listening now to Gin and Juice by Snoop Dogg. Laid back, with my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

2:44 – Off of I-90 and on my way to Watertown. Listening to Rush Limbaugh, and while I don’t always agree with his politics, I have to admit I agree with what he’s saying with McGeevey. I think there’s more to that whole story. Also, Julia Child is dead. She was 92, and seemed like she’d live forever. Also, hurricane Charlie is going to hit Florida in an hour. He’s a category 4.

3:57 – In Watertown, NY. Finally.

This morning so far I had one thing to talk about. I went over to the room where they were serving breakfast and there was this kid complaining about having to dress up. His mom replied “you have to dress up becuase you have to go to a funeral.”

This was funny enough in and of itself, but only got better soon after:

“Grammy, what’s a funeral?”
Silence.
“Grammy, what is a funeral?”
“Well, I’m going to head upstairs”
“Bye mom, have a good day” says the kid’s mom.

That was a delight.

It’s not raining, which is also a delight. We’ll be in Montpelier this afternoon early and I think I’m going to be getting together with Amy Bowers which can go under the delight category. So all in all, day 2 of Maine ’04 is shaping up to be a… well, you know.

Chances are you won’t agree with what I’m saying, but if you do, great 🙂

If you don’t, feel free to comment and I’ll clarify:

1) McGreevy should be resigning. Not because he’s gay, but because he was stupid enough to put his gay lover in a position that I’m sure he knew he couldn’t get the security clearance for. And because it’s such a hot button issue, it will be real convenient for everyone to look at how “progressive” Jersey is. Bull. Talk about causing wreaking havoc.

Furthermore, if he’s allowed to toss homosexuality around, I want to bring faith into politics. Oh. My bad. There is no law encouraging the seperaration of sexuality and state.

2) To all democrats – please stop whining or please cork those of you who are. I try so hard not to be partisan, but I’m growing sick and tired of these individuals (mostly democrats) who keep wanting the government to do everything for them becasue of their oh-so-pitiful-I’m-not-rich victim complexes.

If you spent as much time being responsible for yourself and less time looking and acting like a 4 year old, you’d probably be one of the rich people you want to tax the bejezus out of.

And talk about a conumdrum, eh?

3) If John Kerry really is taking both sides on this Vietnam thing for his own personal gain, that caused him to lose my vote. At least be honest. I don’t care if you dodged the draft or whatever, but don’t be all proud of serving, and then change your mind, and then change it back again. That’s disgraceful to those who came home and had to deal with the ridicule after going to a place where they didn’t want to be. Furthermore, when there’s smoke, there’s fire, and after all this talk about Cambodia, it makes be wonder.

4) James Carville is a prick – regardless of politics. ’nuff said.

5) Bill Clinton, while I did like him when I began to care about politics, is in my mind to blame for the state we’re in now. The reason why he looks good though is because he knows how to talk… he’s graceful. GWB can’t talk his way out of a wet paper bag, but he does shoot straight. And maybe we don’t understand him, but at least he tries. And goodness, that’s better in my mind than glossing things over and riding on the coattails of those before you.

6) Like it or not, folks, republicans are better for the economy.

7) al-Sadr has stones to apply for a purple heart. Forgive my uber-testosterone speak, but I’d have no problem for them to present it to him on a Patriot missle. That being said…

8) Let Iraq take care of its own. And then we’ll see if we were right. (which we will be, in my humble opionion)

I’m sitting in my room here, waiting to get really tired so I can get to bed, and I’m thinking about the summer.

Which for most of you is enough, but far be it from me to stop there.

1. I’ve learned that I’m nowhere near perfect, but I’m also not bad either. The problem is people either tell me I’m great or I suck. I encourage people from now on just to say I’m okay.

2. Breakin’ up is hard to do. No matter what side of it you’re on. Because you still sacrifice your heart.
-but-
3. There is no panacea except optimism coupled with faith in the Lord.

4. For so many years I’ve thought to myself that I’m in this search to “become the man I want to be”. And I thought about it today, and for some reason that mantra doesn’t seem to fit anymore. Not to say I’m where I want or need to be, but I think the becoming has became and I’m slowly developing the man I am.

5. I become motivated in the clutch. Senior year and I have more energy at this point than I have ever since being in college. I’m feeling like I don’t handle new beginnings as well as I thought I did, but relish when I’m finally comfortable and can spread my roots. It’s that growth stage where I’m at my best. And this Business Plan has me at 110%. History would show that I typically get less excited about things once the going gets tough, but it’s something I’m working on and trying to be better at – following through takes all the passion I have and focuses it. My roomie last year, Josh, told me on multiple occasions “Adam, if you did half the stuff you said you’d do, it would be awesome”… I’ve tried to take that to heart.
5b. Josh Bush has really been one of the best friends I’ve ever had in my entire life.

6. When I have an idea of what I want out of life (be it your job, your family, your future girlfriend/wife), I should never, ever compromise those beliefs. On the contrary, I should be refining them. Every day allots another chance for me to understand in a greater capacity God’s ultimate plan for my life. And I don’t see God as a backpedaler.

7. If I’m wrong, however, I need to be the first to admit it.

8. Politics really does interest me.

9. I still hate growing up.

Well, I think I may try to call my good (and only) friend from Oklahoma. And then it’s off to bed and onto Maine.

Yeah. My last day of work at American Standard. I can’t believe it’s all gone by so quickly. I mean, it doesn’t even feel like it’s August. I still am thinking it’s June or something.

But, as my wise teacher Mr. Jack Auman said, life feels like 1 divided by your years. So while you’re young, life goes at, say, 1/4th, it’s quite a bit different at 1/21st.

I’m an idiot, by the way. I dented my van on my way to get a celebratory “last day of work” breakfast sammich from Dunkin Donuts. The thing you have to understand about our Dunkin Donuts is that the drive thru is not designed for anything but bicycles basically because it’s such a tight turn. Anyway, I didn’t negotiate it properly and bit one of the caution poles, denting a small portion of the driver’s side middle door. And why is it that car metal always sounds about 50 times worse than any other metal bending or crunching? Personally, I find that squeal the most annoying sound in the world.

As as a postscript, my brother agreed that it wasn’t bad. So I don’t feel completely stupid… only partially.

I talked to Kaylan on the phone on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, and it was so nice to hear her voice again after all the many times we’d missed each other and played phone tag. She is so easy to talk to, and considering I don’t know her all that well, it’s really odd and impressive. I’ve noticed that those are the people that you either get really close to and really come to care for, or the people who burn out quickly because you get too deep too quick. I feel as though this will be the former over the latter, mainly because we’re a lot the same type of person. I look back on many of her entries and think about how I would react similarly to the same situation. And while I don’t think everyone should be the same as you when you seek out friendships, it’s nice to have a couple people that understand who you are on a subconscious level. It’s those type of people that sustain you.

I’m sure she isn’t the only one, but she’s the most apparent right now.

The BPC is rolling at a good pace considering we aren’t even in school yet. My friend Russell is designing a logo for our company (which I’m hoping will be named Congruent Enterprises), and by the time I get back from vacation I hope to have a mission statement and parts of an executive summary. My ultimate goals for the project are:

1) To have a business plan by December
2) To have created a downtown incubator for students and community (and also to be used as Congruent Enterprises main offices) by December
3) To have at least 50% of the investors needed by March
4) To win the competition in April

I’ve given a lot of thought to actually seeing the concept through and staying in Grove City as the CEO of the company itself. Running my own company was something I didn’t envision when I started college. But now, as the project takes shape and becomes something that actually could work, I see the possibilities. I know too there are a couple members of my team now that may be willing to take a couple years and help me get it off the ground. I just keep thinking that God has blessed this project already and maybe this is the door I’ve been waiting to walk through. And if not, it’s okay, because when I’m done with Congruent, I will have tremendous experience in what it takes to run a company, and it will surely help me in the long run.

I’m still looking at grad schools, and think I may take some serious time looking into Ohio State. Not only is it close (3 hours) and cheaper (in state), they have a dual degree program for Higher Education and Human Resources – so basically I’d get a masters in the two things I want to do in life. And that seems perfect. The only thing is the GRE. Blugh. But I hear most Grovers do ridiculously well on it (consider that the average ACT score is a 27 or so and then add your bell curve to that… it’d make sense), so I suppose I should have faith in that. But it’s still standardized testing, and it’s still a couple hundred dollars and it’s still having to be clutch the first time. But hey, I’m down for clutch.

Tomorrow it’s embarking on Bar Harbor, Maine, where the weather next week will vacillate from rainy to sunny and the highs will be in the low to mid 70s. Perfect.

As part of my “many entry day”, I submit another entry featuring all of the random things in my head today.

So the first thing to talk about is going to the wedding Saturday. It was great. We were in Oakland near the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh in the Church of the Ascension. It was the magnificent stone building (which, as we saw on the front, was “builded” in 1896 and 1897). Emily’s dress was amazing, and Ian looked as happy as ever. We had a good time, and it was great to see so many Buffaloes past and present. I can’t wait to see them all in a couple weeks.

I’m starting to feel sad about almost being done at American Standard, but only when I think about my dad. We’ve gotten so much closer as a result. I remember when I was little I would sit on his lap and ask him what color tub he made that day. And then I went to American Standard and actually got to see the colors he made. We’ve ridden together for the last 3 years now, and it’ll be sad not to have that time and to share those minutes during the day. It really struck me as I was walking on the fourth floor today. There’s a door that you can walk right on the roof, and when I walked to it I looked around the plant and just thought “well, gee, this is about it, isn’t it?” I’m learning I’m not very good at dealing with change. I’ll leave American Standard on Thursday and basically be done with it forever and go on to different things. And my dad will still be here. For some reason that depresses me. Not very many sons get the chance to work with their dad, and I did.

Gosh. It really does make me sad.

In better news, I think I may have a name for the Business Plan company a few of us are creating: Congruent Enterprises. Congruent basically means to harmonize two different things, and that’s the point of my company. It’s nice to have somewhere to go now.

And for that matter, I unveiled the time line I want to follow to the rest of the team, and hopefully we’re going to get started. I’ve also created the board hierarchy and the stock designations, and so now it’s a matter of starting to make something out of nothing, which is one of my favorite things to do. I just hope I can keep my team as excited about all of it as I am.

Something that has happened over the last couple weeks is that I’ve gained a new sense of somber peace. It’s almost a realization of my place right now in life, and how close I’m coming to independence and how scary that really is. I still don’t like growing up, and I doubt I’m ever going to. But I will enjoy the future and what it holds. It’s a tough dichotomy to live through, but it seems inherent to me. Ah well.

Tomorrow is out with the mom type to get school supplies, and then packing for school and vacation. MMMMMMM… Maine.

I’m determined to try blueberry ale while I’m up there. I’ll let you all know the verdict when I get back.